Hunger striker journalist Kibriye Evren: A new historical period in the prisons

DİYARBAKIR - Kibriye Evren, the imprisoned journalist who is on hunger strike,stating that the isolation against Abdullah Öcalan is a global issue, said: “It is a new historical period happening in the prisons and time ticks for all of us, the whole society. We will all see together what this historical period will bring.”

The hunger strike of Democratic Society Congress Co-chair (DTK) and People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari Parliamentarian Leyla Güven is continuing on its 78th day. Kibriye Evren, who was taken into custody in scope of an investigation conducted by Diyarbakır Chief Prosecutor’s Office on October 9, 2018 have started a hunger strike on December 16.Kibriye who joined the hunger strike in Diyarbakır Type E Closed Prison with Evin Kaya and Hilal Ölmez is on a hunger strike for 40 days.

Kibriye who made an evaluatin on the reasons she started the hunger strike and the isolation policy, said she started the hunger strike as an activist and a journalist. Kibriye who underlined the fact that fluid intake has become very difficult for Leyla Güven, stated the following in her letter:

Our determination continues growing

“ Leyla Güven’s condition is getting dire as to not being able to intake fluids and not being able to walk by herself. She is in critical condition. Vitamin B1 is not being given to us with the pretense of having no budget for it.Therefore we are loosing weight visibly. But we have started this strike knowing the weight of this action. Our determination continues growing. Mr. Abdullah Öcalan must see his attorneys and his family which are his legal rights and the isolation must be terminated. This is not a favour but a global human right.

If I was out there as a journalist right now, I would practice my profession with the understanding and the responsibility of the fact that social conscience and journalism can not be thought apart. But as I am a journalist imprisoned, I am pulling my weight with my body. We are uttering our demands by laying our bodies to death with an indefinite non- rotating hunger strike.And as a journalist who is following the society’s will by all means possible in a prison cell, I can say that the society wants that as well.

One of the most important steps of racial extermination policies

A meeting was carried out with Mr. Öcalan in 2016, but because that meeting was far from being an answer fort he expectations of the society, the isolation deepened to this day.A new step was taken piously in the previous days which was again, far from solving any questions. They are avoiding the demands by striking an attitude like this is problem is not serious and the problems gets deeper.This attitude is very dangerous and very unlawful. This is the most important step of extermination policies.

This means: The State of the Republic of Turkey is commiting a crime with these isolation policies and thinks they can maintain their power with their multiple crime machine. This practice is contrary to the international conventions and human rights, but it is also determined as a crime in the universal law scale. The society is aware of this and they are following an idea of an honourable peace where there is no war, or massacres. Because the people paid very heavy prices in this process. These people have lived through a pain for a life time and have no more patience left for it nor the government have the luxury of being this undisturbed. Because the state has a responsibility for its citizens. The chaos in the current political environment, the elections, the current economic crisis and its place in the world political arena will only be relieved by the seriousness of the steps to be taken by considering the expectations and demands of this society.

The isolation on Mr. Öcalan is a global issue

The isolation of a person with a historical mission, such as Mr. Öcalan, is a universal problem. The petitions initiated by the active politicians, thinkers and intellectuals of the 21st century, the actions initiated in many parts of the world are aimed at the immediate solution of this universal problem. The world sees this isolation and the hunger strike action. As such,the state’s attitude ignoring this fact is not acceptable.

Prisons are going through an new historical period

This hunger strike can have irreversible consequences for us. As an elected deputy who represents millions, Leyla Güven is being threatened with her life in the stage she is now.We are consuming time to an irreversible process with our determination.This time is very valuable for us. There is a new historical period in prisons and the time ticks fort he whole society. We will learn by living it togetger what this historical period will evolve to. But the important thing is that the political heritage that we will leave to the future will be worthy of honour and human dignity. It is a fact for us as it is a fact fort the State of the Republic of Turkey. The collective memory of the world is always stronger than the history which is full of lies written by the governments. Those who resist determines this collective memory.”